Thé Lau was born in 1889 in De Rijp, North Holland. He studied in Cologne and Düsseldorf, but learned the painting trade mainly by practicing himself. Before 1919 he lived and worked for a while in the village of Bergen. Here he undoubtedly had contact with artists from the Bergen School. The expressionist style of this group, influenced by Cubism, can be found in this painting by Lau. The dark colours, the black contours and large areas of colour of this still life are also strongly reminiscent of the Bergen School. Lau has also created works that deviate from this style, including landscapes.